Two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcyles and bicycles require a means of support when the operator desires to park the vehicle in an upright position. Such means are known to the prior art and are commonly referred to as kickstands. The prior art kickstands generally employ a rod which is pivoted in a supporting member and which is urged between a park position in contact with the ground and a rest position removed from the ground by a spring means.
The springs employed in prior art kickstands often require the operator to exert considerable force in moving the kickstand between park and rest positions. Such springs tend to be subject to wear and rust or corrosion and eventually fail leaving the vehicle without adequate supporting means. Cam shaped devices and complementary detents are commonly used to stabilize the rod members of prior art kickstands in their park or rest positions. Such kickstands have utility only when in the park position and serve no function in the rest position.
Since the path of travel of conventional kickstands between park and rest positions generally has a component parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle, e.g., along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a significant forward force exerted on the vehicle will cause the kickstand to fold from its park position toward its rest position. Such conventional kickstands are inherently poorly suited for parking vehicles on hills even when the grade is only moderate.
Furthermore, conventional kickstands must be assembled from a variety of parts each of which may require a different fabrication process. For instance, a rod member may be cut from elongated steel rods while the supporting member in which the rod is pivoted may be stamped from sheet metal. The interconnecting spring is formed by still a third process and the components must all be assembled with the aid of a variety of fasteners.
In addition to requiring a supporting means when parked, two-wheeled vehicles also must have a means for supporting the operator's feet when in motion. On an operator powered bicycle, the conventional pedals used for propulsion also properly support and position the cyclist's feet. On a vehicle employing a power plant, such as a motorcycle, the support function is accomplished through the use of footrests or foot pegs which are affixed to the vehicle frame. Such footrests generally serve no function when the vehicle is parked and the operator is not seated on the vehicle.
It is not uncommon for an operator to mount a parked two-wheeled vehicle, start the engine, rest his feet on the footrests and propel the vehicle forward without disengaging the kickstand. This is extremely dangerous and can result in serious injury to the vehicle operator and damage to the vehicle.